AAR: Balkans N. Africa Leg

[Imp]

Tanks are free of mines & HQ moves ever forward the 4 squads nearest him are all running & one is dead.
My sniper tried hiding & is now moving slowly towards the enemy sniper in the hopes that when it opens up he will be close enough to see it, a poor squad is none to happy at being volunteered as its target.

Main force now has split objectives so N+S
MFS>Found 2 ATGs the second being close enough to be a threat to nearest MkIII so infantry poped smoke, I want a word with whoever refited my tanks the guns are great & the extra armour helps but some tea leaf has had it away with my dischargers
Despite the ATGs not having HE they still got a man.

MFN> Heading down rail unmolested & units on the hill are now 500m from the sunken bunker entrance when bike swerves to no avail as a bunker with 25Pdr & Vickers takes a dislike to him. Any further aproach at level 2 or higher is now out & of course the sand means risking bog or going for a scenic drive, Pioneers are reasonably near if I can figure out a way to get them there.

SF> Squads moving round the side towards the AA discover & engage a new squad while MMGs & ATG reduce one AAGuns crew to3
Squads going round the other side find a 3in Mtr & all squads on the hill are now running.
We lost 2 men moving onto flag due to mines & a couple to fire but should control the hill next go.
AIT> Arty is getting better but still mainly firing at no mans land & another AA gun opened up, unfortunatly my tank was distracted by an ATR & gave it a side shot resulting in early retirement

[Imp]

Despite my best intentions HQ is charging on there are now 2 of 6 sqauds left, the hunt for the sniper is on with 2 squads further SE looking for with the sniper
SF> They are getting hammered by arty now & lost people to it. My ATGs are never going to improve they seem to act as a magnet in every game for it.
No direct fire losses only 1 squad remains & 2 guns are hurting badly. The 3rd gun & mortar are out for the count. There are more mortars not far away but it will be a while before we get there as the area is littered with mines, 300m deep so far pioneers are on overtime, heading SE as seem less dense that way
MFN> Smoke has just come down in front of the bunker & a second 25Pdr was found & destroyed without loss. Tanks & a few grunts are now heading SE down tracks in the little valley towards the unknown facilities. I have been expecting contact but so far nothing though I think we are being observed from the way arty fell last turn, the rest are making there way round the bunker.
MFS> Take out both ATGs & seems clear, as time is marching on they will jump in HT they can either move towards the oasis or come over the hill forming a pincer move on the facilities. Either way unloading unobserved is not a realistic option & the hope was that the SF would be the pincer for the oasis attack but they are going to be late so a decissive move on the facilities may be my best option.

Work is busy at last so reports will probably slow down as I have to eat, more to the point have a shopping spree to pay for so it could be beans on toast for a while. What price vanity? A #@%£#$% lot I can tell you.
__________________________________
There are more atoms in a glass of water than there are glasses of water in all the worlds oceans
99.999....% Of an atom consists of nothing, its totally empty so the Universe only just exists.
If you could remove this space the entire human race would fit in a grapefruit.
If you could harness this power the atom bomb would look like a matchstick
The probability of things like our eco system & the building blocks for life being so efficient without being designed is so small that they must have been.
Therefore if you are a religious man science is probably the best proof of a God or at least a grand design.
Welcome to the test tube you could be in it.

[Imp]

HQ group have destroyed all 6 original squads & found another one, closing in on the sniper but have a nasty feeling my HQ has ended up as the nearest guy.
Pretty sure my sniper walked straight through mines without noticing, my squad has lost a couple of men & arty is falling around MMG now.
SF> A scout & platoon followed runners navigating through the minefield & are now in position to go for the mortars one of which direct fired at extreme range killing a truck with its first shot, thought it was safe enough. Passage SE turned out to be free of mines so good call & now moving towards oasis. All resistance has been dealt with easily arty being the only problem. Mortars have moved up to a depression with oasis in range, delayed due to arty.
MF> Pioneer is in position to assault bunkers, there are 3 of them.
South force came over the hill & lost a 231 to 3 BoforsAA just SW of most SW building, Some tanks are continuing East but the rest are moving towards the oasis & smoke is scheduled to drop next go. They are a bit over 500m from the wall but no fire has been forthcoming.
North group have also been taking fire from the bofors but tanks have dealt with, 1 abandoned others dead.
Most units are still in the valley but near paved part now & engaging units in nearest building & trenches along the back. A few units climbed level 1 area North of buildings finding 2 squads in these trenches, one is running. Casulties light so far but then so is the resistance, sort of expected more slow game this.

[Imp]

Mines here are causing problems again but have a good idea on snipers position, decide to move MMG as arty is after him & has furthest distance but the sniper kills 4 men, should have risked the arty he still might get hit. It has given away his location though so my sniper takes him out, the other squad is routed & HQ moves towards but is seen by a new squad, smoke as think there are more & HQ is way out in front with just a tank near him, tank & HQ are close to rise to L1 now.
SF> Keeps moving forward but begining to wonder if mortars are safe arty round here is not good & now its falling dangerously close to mortars, could easily have seen trucks drive into the dip. One enemy mortar is down & heading for the next as through the mines now, there are a lot of them.
MFS> An A9 I think slightly East of the guesthouse takes down a HT, luckily it had just unloaded & its about time something fired.
MFN> There are about 10 tanks here so they were slowly rolling forward along the pavement area taking out the enemy when one finds a mine, Ram moves to the front risking ATRs & squads head forward, they find a squad tucked behind the first building just behind the mines. Getting a LOS to him is very hard as the burning wreck blocks most views, but I want to save the crew. Only one hex on this side of mines has a shot so risk HTs running around South building. 2 Make it unload & engage him. In AIs turn its enough he only gets one shot at the crew & it survives but my HTs were lucky they to are by mines. Lost a few men here but Brits only have 2 happy squads now as the armour is just throwing out huge amounts of firepower.
These bunkers are going to need a concerted effort redirected several squads to help. Pioneer hit 3 times with sprengladung but failed to damage it. Killed 1 of 12 men so he is getting ready with the flame to route & then mass assault the thing, could take a while.
T27
HQ lose a man as 2 more squads are found, one jumps straight out of his hole to sniper fire & HQ digs the other one out but if anything we are outgunned here, the other tank & squad are stuck behind mines. RAM is on the way reckon its 2 turns away AA units to but slowly as they have to hide from Mortars.
SF> is just running forward use of trucks is to dangerous & other forces heading for the oasis have entered trees near zigzag trench, HT are trying to hide or free themselves up to head for the rest of the MF to help with transfer of forces.
MF> Pioneer got a bunker but used 3 flame shots in the process, a MkIII managed to make it to another hard due to sand & trenches & fired APCR I think at point blank. Damaged it was not realy expecting that.
By the buildings mines have virtualy stopped progress a pioneer is helping the Ram, squads have entered the Southern buildings. Another squad is seen hiding behind a building & we manage to kill a few more men but finding locations with sight to targets is a problem. Bit of a stalemate at present armour cannot get in position to engage, scout tries to make a move through building on a squad but loses 2 men. 4 of my 6 scouts are now hurt & so just trying to survive & a motorbike is sitting by crew to wisk it away when it rallies.
Vehicles on level1 are waiting for squads to overtake & check for mines.
If anything sums this battle up its mines, mines & more bloody mines, getting fed up of the things.
AIT> Arty has stopped & squad behind first building leaves his hole. HQ survives without further loss as only attacked by one squad the other near him moved on the MkIII trying to assault but paid heavily & is now running. Risking air coming in here but its very close to my tank & could turn nasty. Already had one close call here when lost contact with a few turns back & could not adjust run. Luckily found new squad that turn & it attacked that but living dangerously.
AI has not been doing a very good job with its arty this game for some reason its all over the shop & never seems to fire for more than 2 turns before relocating.

[Imp]

Every time I think we are getting there another one shows up, counting foxholes thats 11squads & a sniper to date. Mainly they have been dealt with by a mixed bag of MkIII, sniper, MMG & HQ with slight support at times.
The force moving on the oasis has taken out the mortar & I have given up trying to guess where everyone is even a couple of trucks are running flat out across the dessert in an atempt to wind this up. So much for mad dogs & Englishmen in the midday sun, I think the guest house offers other services than room & board & they are partaking.
Thought the MkIIIs would struggle with the bunkers but slices through the last two, still cleaing mines so infantry move up first through buildings then across the pavement. 2 more squads are found & we lose 3 men to them & another to the mines but there is a path so tanks move up to give support. The Brits are now heavilly outnumbered again a recieve a hail of fire ending in 3 tatered squads & one intact one. Due to the restricted access half of this force is loading up & moving to support the oasis as we only have 3 flags to go here & 2 of them I control the area
AIT> HQ group planes killed 2 HQ & sniper got one each only 1 squad is up for a fight this go. Elsewhere the Brits show there hand & are on the move.
To the North of the MF the crew I had just evacuated to a supposedly safe spot can see a MkVIc heading for him, typical.
At the oasis a rag tag bunch of 3 MkVIc 2 A9s & an A13 are running along the back of the NE section of wall, magic move 50m they are in my sights then the smoke I plotted comes down, minor cursing.
T29
Tank & MMG open up to no effect & sniper cannot get a shot as remaining squads are on level 1 so he moves to crest line. HQ takes the plunge & finds another squad decide its best not to fire. AA open up despite range to pin as much as possible. Luckily with few available targets some mortars are plotted here.
SF is moving as fast as it can & has just reached the trees at the North end of the oasis, tanks are not risking running on due to mines & ambush possibility.
Infantry move forwared SW of oasis & see another A9 & A13, I have 4 MkIIIs in the area & a MK II, the MkII is distant at just over a KM but opens up on A13 causing it to fire its discharger. The other tanks split & go either side of the smoke 1 on each side getting targets & damaging an A13 at about 500m
MF> We take quite a few casulties some to yet more mines & caused by the fact infantry is having to move onto level1 unsupported finding another squad in the process. All enemy are cleared though exept 3 squads on level1, the Ram & pioneer are trying to clear a path to the furthest flag.
A MkII & Mk III are going after the VIc while the rest break for the oasis.
AIT> HQ group MMG loses another man he has to back out now as nearly dead but a path has finaly been cleared through the mines. Arty means all routed except one.
See 2 more MkVIcs up North & a major armour exchange occurs at the oasis with both sides having a tank recieve damage.

[Imp]

HQ tank fires & routes so sniper & HQ move up looks like its coming to a close 2 are running & 2 left in holes but one is nearly dead, Ram heads for oasis having cleared the mines.
The thin armour of the Brit tanks seals there fate an A9 & A13 are quickly dispatched the other 2 have moved behind the smoke & require a slight risk. The tank furthest away moves into view & draws some fire then 2 near ones come round the smoke, all fire at them misses & they destroy & damage one before a 231 runs up to it & delivers the kill shot. A13 remains behind its discharger but if it moves 2 tanks will have a shot & one of them is stationary MkII decides to fire on another VIc forcing it to use its discharger. Infantry finaly recieve fire from a squad at the gate but my battery is about to hit there.
MF> 3 tanks that have LOS open up & squad with ATR uses his shots, sniper gets in position & routes the other before 3 squads on hill move forward. only 2 squads survive now & ones running. Think we are done here only one flag to take & the pioneer will do that but will leave a few units incase reinforcements turn up, the charge for the oasis is on.
Still chasing MkVIcs
AIT> All tanks miss but North ones closed the range nicely, no new units discovered but arty drops on my units, 1 squad only has 2 men left.

[Imp]

T31
Sniper has a field day before HQ takes over, Brits have 5men left
MF> The sole squad still fighting takes a great deal of persuading to run, due to this the other squad may escape off map. MkII kills a VIc & MkIII damages one before smoke is poped.
At the oasis the A13 is damaged then destroyed before the remaining tanks are destroyed in quick order. MkII & HT open up on squad we are arriving in force now from the west but no fire is triggered. Forces are also arriving from the North & squads arleady there are starting to work down the wall.
A scout taking up position to watch for reinforcements finds the HQ & 2 HT attack it reducing to 3 men.
AIT> MkII gets another VIc & his arty kills my squad
T32
HQ group finnish up he has 13 kills now, HT & scout kill Brit HQ, MkII kills last VIc, pioneer takes last flag just oasis ones left, squad escapes.
another 4 squads appear at the oasis but its a done deal severly outnumbered. Exept for mines of course there are more, 2 men down. half a dozen tanks taking up position in case reinforcements arrive.
Turns out its a inf company but quicly wiped out, I lose 2 men to fire & 2 more to mines, it ends on turn 37.
Decisive victory
Men 89>631
Score 6178>449

Missed a few bunkers but AI must have spent loads on mines, fairly boring game as not enough enemy & armour was totaly outclassed.
Partly my fault did full width as meant hills were in enemy zone but this meant he was to spread out & mines made transit slow